Detection of early stage gastric cancers in screening laser endoscopy using linked color imaging for patients with atrophic gastritis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Laser endoscopy involves blue laser imaging in bright mode (BLI-bright). Linked color imaging (LCI) is superior to white light imaging (WLI) for detecting gastric cancers. This study aimed to detect gastric cancers on screening endoscopy using not only WLI but also BLI-bright and LCI in patients with atrophic gastritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 500 patients with atrophic gastritis undergoing screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy were included. The gastric lumen was observed in the WLI mode, followed by the LCI and BLI-bright modes. When gastric neoplasms were suspected, the mode was changed to WLI, and we sprayed indigo carmine. Finally, biopsy specimens were taken for those lesions and pathological diagnosis was made. We compared the size, morphology, and color of gastric neoplasms found by the first WLI mode and those detected by only the LCI mode or BLI-bright mode. RESULTS: We detected 16 gastric neoplasms (3.2%), of which 13 were early gastric cancers (EGCs) and three were gastric adenomas. Ten EGCs and two gastric adenomas (75%) were detected by the first WLI mode; three EGCs and one gastric adenoma (25%) were missed by the first WLI mode and were detected by the LCI mode or BLI-bright mode. All were less than 1 cm in diameter and were reddish. Mean diameter of the lesions was significantly less for LCI-detected or BLI-bright-detected lesions than for WLI-detected lesions (7.8 vs 21.2 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Laser endoscopy is useful for detecting EGCs by LCI for patients with atrophic gastritis.

Linked color imaging versus white light imaging colonoscopy for colorectal adenoma detection: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The adenoma detection rate is an important indicator of colonoscopy quality and colorectal cancer incidence. We compared the adenoma detection rates between white light imaging (WLI) and linked color imaging (LCI) colonoscopy. METHODS: Patients undergoing colonoscopy for positive fecal immunochemical tests, follow-up of colon polyps, and abdominal symptoms at three institutions were randomly assigned to the LCI or WLI groups. Mean adenoma number per patient (including based on endoscopists' experience), adenoma detection rate, cecal intubation time, withdrawal time, mean adenoma number per location, and adenoma size were compared. RESULTS: The LCI and WLI groups comprised 494 and 501 patients, respectively. No significant differences in the cecal intubation rate (LCI vs WLI: 99.5% vs 99.4%), cecal intubation time, and withdrawal time were noted between groups. The mean adenoma number per patient was significantly higher in the LCI group than in the WLI group (1.07 vs 0.88, P = 0.04), particularly in the descending [0.12 (58/494) vs 0.07 (35/501), P = 0.01] and sigmoid colon [0.41 (201/494) vs 0.30 (149/501), P ≤ 0.001]. However, the adenoma detection rate was 47.1% in the LCI group and 46.9% in the WLI group, with no significant difference (P = 0.93). The total number of sessile-type adenomas was significantly higher in the LCI group than in the WLI group (346/494 vs 278/501, P = 0.04). As for polyp size, small polyps (≤ 5 mm) were detected at a significantly higher rate in the LCI group (271/494 vs 336/501, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Linked color imaging is significantly superior to WLI in terms of mean adenoma number per patient.

Randomized control trial of adenoma detection rate in Endocuff-assisted colonoscopy versus transparent hood-assisted colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Transparent hood-assisted colonoscopy (TAC) has been reported to improve the cecal insertion rate and adenoma detection rate (ADR). An endoscopic cap (Endocuff) with two rows of soft wings was recently developed to improve ADR, by flattening the mucosal folds during withdrawal. This randomized prospective control study aimed to compare ADR between Endocuff-assisted colonoscopy (EAC) and TAC. METHODS: A total of 513 patients undergoing colon adenoma screening were included. EAC was performed in 256 patients and TAC in 260 patients. Cecal intubation rate, cecal intubation time, ADR, and mean adenoma number per patient (MAP) were investigated in both groups (clinical trial registration: UMIN000016278). RESULTS: We excluded six patients in the EAC group and two patients in the TAC group because of colonic stenosis due to colonic adenocarcinomas. Finally, 250 patients (151 men/99 women, median age 62.1 years) were assigned to EAC and 258 patients (165 men/93 women, median age 64.3 years) were assigned to TAC. There were no significant differences in cecal intubation rate, intubation time, withdrawal time, and cleanliness score between groups. The ADR was 50.8% in EAC and 52.7% in TAC, with no significant difference (P = 0.666). The MAP was 1.35 in EAC and 1.20 in TAC, with no significant difference (P = 0.126). However, The MAP of diminutive adenomas (< 5 mm) tended to be higher in EAC than in TAC (P = 0.077). There was no significant difference in MAP in each segment between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Endocuff-assisted colonoscopy might be equivalent to TAC in cecal intubation time, ADR, and MAP.

Prevalence and Severity of Itching in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: Treatment with Nalfurafine Hydrochloride.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In this study, we investigated the severity and frequency of uremic pruritus and itch-associated insomnia in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: This questionnaire-based study included outpatients with ESRD or CKD who were attending Tokorozawa Renal Clinic in Saitama Prefecture or Musashi Ranzan Hospital and were stable on treatment. The questionnaire was completed by patients on hemodialysis (HD) before a dialysis session and by patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) or conservative treatment at the time of an outpatient hospital visit. RESULTS: Itching was reported by 61.6% of patients on HD, 61.5% on PD, and 43.2% on conservative CKD management. There was no statistically significant difference in the severity or frequency of itch according to whether patients were on HD for ESRD, PD for ESRD, or receiving conservative treatment for CKD. However, insomnia was significantly more common in the PD group than in the HD and conservative CKD groups. CONCLUSION: Better skin management is needed for itch in patients with ESRD or CKD. Moisturizing and lifestyle factors are important. Topical or oral medications may also be used. Nalfurafine, a κ receptor agonist, is now available in Japan for the treatment of uremic pruritus in these patients.

Rituximab-induced Ileocolitis in a Patient with Gastric MALToma: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Rituximab (RTX) is effective for treating cancer, but reports of RTX-associated enterocolitis are limited. We herein report the case of a 65-year-old man who developed RTX-induced ileocolitis. He was diagnosed with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma) and treated with RTX. He complained of bloody diarrhea after RTX. Mucosal inflammation on colonoscopy indicated RTX-induced ileocolitis. He was treated with corticosteroids, and his symptoms improved. We reviewed the RTX-associated gastrointestinal adverse events and classified the features into ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, microscopic colitis, and ileocolitis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a Japanese patient who developed RTX-induced ileocolitis.

Chronic Enteropathy Associated with SLCO2A1 with Pachydermoperiostosis.

A 49-year-old man complained of chronic palpitation and shortness of breath, which had recently become exacerbated. A blood examination indicated severe refractory anemia and hypoproteinemia. Physical examinations revealed anemia, a systolic murmur, and spoon nails. Multiple nonspecific ileal ulcers were observed. A pathological examination indicated a small granuloma with CD68-positive histiocytes. He had a deeply wrinkled forehead, chiseled face, and clubbed fingers. Radiography revealed periostosis of the fingers and long bones in the limb. He was diagnosed with pachydermoperiostosis. SLCO2A1 demonstrated a c.1807C>T homo-mutation. He was also diagnosed with SLCO2A1-associated chronic enteropathy and thus was treated with 5-aminosalicylic acid, which temporarily improved the ileal ulcers, anemia, and hypoalbuminemia.

Endoscopic Features and Diagnostic Procedures of Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.

No specific endoscopic features for eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) have been reported previously. This study therefore evaluated the endoscopic findings of six patients with EGE. The diagnosis was confirmed based on gastrointestinal symptoms, pathological findings on biopsy, and the absence of other diseases. The site of the lesion was identified based on eosinophilic infiltration with ≥20 cells per high-power field during a pathological specimen analysis. Flattening of the small intestinal villi was observed in four patients; we speculate that this may be a specific feature in the diagnosis of EGE.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome in a patient with ulcerative colitis during treatment with azathioprine: A case report and review of literature.

A 19-year-old female was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when she presented with persistent melena, and has been treated with 5-aminosalicylic acid for 4 years, with additional azathioprine for 2 years at our hospital. The patient experienced high-grade fevers, chills, and cough five d prior to presenting to the outpatient unit. At first, the patient was suspected to have developed neutropenic fever; however, she was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (EB-VAHS) upon fulfilling the diagnostic criteria after bone marrow aspiration. When patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with immunomodulators, such as thiopurine preparations, develop fever, EB-VAHS should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

A patient who experienced thyroid storm complicated by rhabdomyolysis, deep vein thrombosis, and a silent pulmonary embolism: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid storm is a serious condition of thyrotoxicosis. Hyperthyroidism often presents with thrombotic events, especially at cerebral sites; however, the possible association between a lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LEDVT) and thyroid storm has not been previously reported. We encountered a patient who developed thyroid storm, associated with rhabdomyolysis, followed by LEDVT and a small silent pulmonary embolism (PE). The case is discussed with references to the pertinent literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old woman with no past medical history was referred to our hospital because of severe diarrhea, muscle weakness in her lower limbs (manual muscle testing: MMT 3), and disturbances of consciousness. She was diagnosed as having Graves' disease based on the presence of struma, exophthalmos, and hyperthyroidism with TSH receptor antibody positivity; we further determined that the patient was experiencing thyroid storm based on the results of the Burch-Wartofsky scoring system and a Japanese diagnostic criteria. Treatment with steroids, iodine potassium, methimazole, and propranolol was initiated. Severe watery diarrhea continued, and the laboratory data revealed hypokalemia (2.0 meq/L). On day 14, a blood analysis showed a sudden elevation in her creatinine kinase (CK) level, leading to a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis. Thereafter, the muscle weakness in her lower limbs advanced to a degree of MMT 1. Seven days after the diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis, pitting edema began to appear in bilateral lower extremities. Contrast-enhanced CT scans revealed a LEDVT involving the left common iliac vein, bilateral femoral veins, and left popliteal vein. Furthermore, a small PE was identified. Hyperthyroidism often presents with thrombotic events, especially at cerebral sites, but few reports of PE or LEDVT have been made. CONCLUSION: This case suggests that the occurrence of thyroid storm may be associated with a risk of LEDVT and/or PE. We suggest that DVT preventive measures are undertaken, and that a lower limb venous echo or contrast-enhanced CT examination would be considered if LEDVT is suspected.